


Let it Snow

by mysteriousphoenix



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Bean Squad Gift Exchange 2019, F/M, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Snowed In, Tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21947314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysteriousphoenix/pseuds/mysteriousphoenix
Summary: Tina and Newt get caught in the Christmas Blizzard of 1927. They find an abandoned cabin and thankfully have shelter from the storm, but solitude makes them bold. (The classic "there's only one bed" trope--a gift for Ravenpuff1956)Bean Squad Gift Exchange 2019
Relationships: Tina Goldstein/Newt Scamander
Comments: 14
Kudos: 130





	Let it Snow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ravenpuff1956](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravenpuff1956/gifts).



> For our gift exchange, I was prompted by [@Ravenpuff1956. ](https://ravenpuff1956.tumblr.com/) She wanted the "there's only one bed" trope and Newt and Tina getting together in the same fic. Challenge accepted! Merry Christmas, dear friend! I hope this makes your day!
> 
> Note: The Christmas Blizzard of 1927 was a real event. It was quite disastrous and shut down Wales and Southern England for days. It eventually led to major flooding of the Thames in London, causing catastrophic damage and leading to the flood protection they have in place today. It was not something we had ever learned about over here in the USA, so I had to do some research.

The wind blew wet snow into the dark cottage as Newt slammed the door behind them. Tina pulled out her wand and forced her trembling hands to light the tip, illuminating the room around them. Her teeth were chattering violently and she wrapped her hands around her chest to trap whatever heat she could to her body. She left her cranberry-colored scarf wrapped around her face, grateful for the warmth her breath provided against the tingling tip of her nose.

The meager light in the room helped Newt locate a stocked wood box and he thanked Merlin for their good luck as he grabbed four logs to place into the stone fireplace.

“ _Incendio_ ,” he whispered, waving his wand, and the room lit up with the sudden appearance of the roaring fire. Newt glanced back at Tina who was still bundled in her layers and trembling near the doorway.

“Come here,” he said softly and beckoned to her, holding out one hand. She walked forward, crouching down on the moldy fur rug in front of the blazing hearth. Her eyes watered as some of the smoke escaped the cold flue and floated toward them, but she didn’t care. She was grateful for the heat. Tina removed her sodden gloves and stretched her hands out toward the flames. Her hands were completely numb and the heat felt like pinpricks on the pads of her fingers. 

Newt sat down next to her and began rubbing his hands together, using friction to heat them. As they walked through the sudden snowstorm, no heating charm could penetrate the cold. The wind seemed to tear through their layers and left them both frozen. As the rain turned to the beginnings of a blizzard, they had been forced to find shelter. Thankfully, Newt had spotted a cabin through the wind-whipped snow. After several attempts to pound on the door, seeking help, Tina had whipped out her wand and unlocked the door. It revealed an abandoned space with minimal furniture and little else.

“You okay?” Newt asked Tina, realizing she had not spoken since she had whispered the spell to unlock the door several minutes before. She slowly pulled the scarf from her face and unwound it from her shoulders.

“Yeah,” she whispered, teeth still chattering slightly. “I will be once I can feel my body again.” Newt snorted softly in response as he studied her. Her wet hair was sticking up at strange angles after being tucked into a hat and a scarf, then frozen and unfrozen. Her nose and cheeks were red and her clothes were still wet, her brown trousers clinging to her calves.

“We should dry ourselves off,” Newt stated matter-of-factly, “it will help us warm up.”

“I’m not sure I could just yet. My hands are still shaking,” Tina replied as she wrapped her arms around her tensed body and gritted her teeth together.

“Want me to do it for you?” Newt asked.

Tina looked at him, then back to the fire before nodding her head. “Please,” she whispered as color flooded her cheeks. Newt turned to face her and helped her remove her soaking wet coat. She immediately began shivering again as the cool air of the cabin hit her back and thighs. Newt removed his coat as well and stood to hang both from the corners of the mantel where they would dry overnight. He crouched down to her and cast a heating charm over her. It helped shield against the cool air at her back but did little else for her frozen body. He began drying her clothing, blowing a steady stream of warm air from the tip of his wand. He was very aware of the intimacy of their situation as he began by removing her shoes and drying her socks. He meticulously worked his way up her trousers and eventually to her shirt.

“Are you alright?” he asked her softly, knowing she was probably uncomfortable. Her eyes had drifted shut and she was biting her bottom lip, something she did when she was anxious or worried.

“Yeah,” she replied as she opened her eyes. Her dark brown eyes stared into his as she reached forward and placed her hand over the fist holding his wand. The stream of air stopped and the only sound in the room came from the crackling fire. “Thank you,” she said as the corners of her lips turned up in a smile. Newt noticed she was still cold to the touch, but no longer shivering violently as she had been. “I wouldn’t have been able to do that myself.”

Newt smiled at her and smoothed down a lock of her disheveled hair. “Glad to help,” he replied, “Now, one of us should probably do something about your hair.” Tina looked at him curiously. “It’s wet...and sticking out all over. Quite a fetching look, I must admit.”

Tina reached up and touched her dark hair, feeling the frizzy cowlicks that had adorned her head. “Oh, Mercy Louis!” she exclaimed under her breath before muttering a silent charm as she waved her wand. Her hair laid down in dry waves. It was unstyled, but it was dry.

“I can never remember that one,” Newt said amusedly as he ran his fingers through his own wet curls. Tina pointed her wand at his face and suddenly the hair that ran between his fingers was dry. “Huh, thanks,” he said gratefully.

“Now you should probably do that to the rest of your body. You’re still soaked.” Tina looked him up and down with a smile. Newt nodded and began removing his suit jacket and waistcoat. Tina took both and laid them out on the ground near the fire so they could dry. 

She turned around to find him waving his wand over his own clothing, spending less time on his own self-care than he had spent drying Tina. She smiled at the thought and crouched down next to him. “I’m going to poke around, see if I can find anything for us to eat.” He nodded at her and continued drying his grey trousers.

Tina stood up to survey the small room. There was a small kitchen area along one wall with a cold stove settled in the corner. The cabinets were old-looking and one was missing its door completely. There was a small, wooden table with one chair against the wall under a single, dirty window. In the center of the room, there was a wooden bench and a ratty armchair, both of which looked wildly uncomfortable. On the far wall, next to a second window, there was a double bed, still dressed with thin, blue blankets. Next to the bed, there was a door that she assumed led to the privy outside. She shivered at the thought of needing to go out there to take care of things and promised herself to hold out as long as she could.

Tina marched over to the cabinets in the small kitchen and began opening doors one at a time. She pulled out anything she could find, but all the food that had been left behind was badly spoiled or had been eaten by mice and bugs. Nothing in the cupboards was edible. They had been lucky thus far, finding the cabin and a large stack of wood, but they may have to go hungry for a bit. There were worse things, she thought, as she made her way back to Newt. She shivered slightly, still chilled from their hours in the rain and snow.

Newt had finished drying his clothing and had moved up to sit on the bench and put his boots back onto his feet. “Any luck?” he asked as she came near.

“None,” she replied, “there isn’t a single thing we can eat here.”

At that, Newt hopped up and made his way over to his grey overcoat. He stuck his entire forearm into one of the pockets and began rooting around, looking for something.

“How many laws are you breaking with those undetectable extension charms?” Tina asked with a smile. 

“I don’t know, you tell me, Auror,” he replied as he raised his eyebrows in a challenge. Tina laughed as he pushed his arm in past his elbow before clamping his hand around something and pulling it out. It was a green biscuit tin.

“I should turn you in, you know. Rules and all,” Tina said with a smirk.

“Ahh, but you won’t.” Newt handed her three biscuits, his fingers briefly brushing her own, and snapped the lid closed, his smirk and the slight crinkle in the corner of his eyes showing how much he loved their banter. Tina smiled in return, enjoying the way their relationship had become more comfortable over the past several months. She took a bite of her first biscuit, sitting down on the bench beside him. They ate in silence, both thankful that they were safe and out of the cold. The wind howled outside and the flecks of icy snow pelted the windows. Tina shivered once more and rubbed her hands together for warmth as she glanced out the window. Her feet and hands were still feeling the effects of the outdoors and ached when she moved.

A single pop drove Tina to look over at Newt who was holding his beat-up, silver pocket watch. He snapped it closed and put it back in the pocket of his trousers. 

“We should get some sleep, it’s past midnight.” His eyes met hers and she nodded in response. Both of their faces swung around to look at the single bed in the corner. Tina’s cheeks filled with color as she contemplated what that could mean before Newt continued, “I--I’ll take the rug here. You can have the bed.”

“Newt…”

Newt held up one hand and said, “I insist. I’ll be plenty warm here. The-- the cold affected you far more and-- you need a good night’s sleep.” She could see in the firelight that color had begun to flush his cheeks. “Please take it, Tina.”

Tina, realizing for the first time just how isolated they were here, together, felt a wave of nervous anticipation flood through her body. She then nodded her head silently as she accepted. Newt sighed in relief and smiled slightly. He rose from the bench and walked over to the window, glancing outside.

“I’m glad we found this place when we did. You couldn’t see a thing out there, even with a lighting charm.” Newt looked back toward Tina who remained seated on the bench. “I wish I could get word to my brother. He will be worried sick when we don’t show up by morning.”

“Can you send a patronus?” Tina asked him, standing and wandering over to join him, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the chill.

“No, I think Grindelwald is tracking defensive magic as well as apparition.” Newt’s brow furrowed a bit as he continued, “Theseus told me that neither of us was to use anything beyond basic spells until we heard from him ...so, here we are.”

“Cold, but safe,” Tina continued for him.

Newt smiled at her. “Yes, safe.” He reached out and ran one hand down her upper arm, lightly brushing down her sleeve in an affectionate caress. Tina’s eyes widened and she had to force herself to breathe as she locked eyes with him. Her skin tingled. “Now, go get ready for bed. You should sleep,” Newt murmured affectionately. 

Tina chuckled. “I don’t have anything to get ready with. My bags are in Cardiff with your brother.”

“Ah,” Newt replied, “mine as well.” He smirked to himself, “I hope Theseus is up for another night of feedings. He has my case.”

“Does that make you worried?”

“No, not at all. He did grow up around stables full of hippogriffs, the same as me.” Newt’s eyes softened as he spoke of the brother he had grown to know more in the three months since Paris. “He is, surprisingly, very good with animals. Just doesn’t enjoy it as I do.”

“Interesting,” Tina replied. “I wouldn’t have pegged your brother for being competent with creatures.”

“He’ll be fine. I only have four creatures in the case anyway. The rest are at home with Bunty and Jacob.”

“You’ll have to tell me stories about you and Theseus’ adventures with the ‘griffs one of these days,” Tina said, grinning at the thought of a young Newt and Theseus running around a farm together.

“Honestly, there isn’t much to tell, “Newt replied. “He’s eight years older, so he was off to Hogwarts when I was three. We never had much of a chance to get to know each other and--we’re quite different, he and I. Never had much in common.”

Tina frowned to herself, trying to imagine a childhood without Queenie. They had not had the easiest life, but they had each other as they grew up only two years apart. They always had a playmate, a confidant, and a friend in each other. She could not imagine the solitude Newt must have felt as a child. It explained a lot about him, actually.

Newt interrupted her thought by continuing, “I do have a few funny stories about him from his summer holidays, though.” He smiled at her, “He and I had different ways of getting into trouble. I got into scrapes, he-- well, he liked to bend the rules. He was smart that way. He may have been the golden boy, but Mum and Dad had a _terrible_ time keeping track of him and his mates.”

Tina giggled, making Newt smile wider at her. “But that’s a story for another time. Bed.” 

Tina slowly turned and walked over to the bed, pulling down the thin blanket and examining the mattress. It was lumpy and musty. It must have been sitting empty for a long time. However, the sheets were surprisingly bug-free and the blanket was not the most disgusting thing she had ever seen. She figured it was okay for one night. 

She sat on the side of the bed and felt the mattress dip under her. She slipped off her shoes and untucked her lilac blouse from the waistband of her black trousers. It was then that she remembered something. “Newt?”

“Yeah?” He was seated on the bench, leaning over to untie his battered leather boots. He straightened and turned to look at her.

“It’s past midnight. It’s Christmas.”

Newt smiled. “It is, yes.”

A worried crease formed between Tina’s eyebrows, “But you’re stuck here. You won’t be able to get to your family! You were supposed to…”

“It’s _fine_ , Tina. Really.” Newt stretched an arm along the back of the bench and turned his body more fully toward her, “It’s just a day. Theseus will be fine where he is, Mum and Dad will understand when they find out what happened.” Newt looked like he wanted to say something more, but hesitated, looking down at the scraped wood of the bench.

“What is it?” Tina asked, hoping to help him through his moment of hesitation. These moments were becoming fewer over time, but he still felt the need to stop himself from sharing his thoughts sometimes.

“I--I just figure that...A Christmas spent with you, no matter the circumstances, is bound to be wonderful.” Newt smiled to himself as he continued to look down at the battered seat, “Even if we are stuck here in this old cabin with nothing but biscuits to eat, it’s not all bad.” Newt chanced a look up at Tina, glancing at her hesitantly through his curly fringe. He found her smiling widely at him from her position on the side of the bed.

“It _definitely_ isn’t all bad. I am spending my Hanukkah with you this year and I have no complaints.”

Newt grinned at her response. He glanced up at her once more before slowly turning from her to finish removing his boots. He stood to place them by the fire next to his jacket and waistcoat. He heard the frame of the bed shift as Tina pulled her body into bed and the rustle of a blanket as she covered herself. He turned to look at her, finding her watching him with soft eyes. “Goodnight, Tina,” he said softly.

“Night, Newt. Sleep well.”

“You too.” With that, she wrapped one arm under the flattened pillow and shifted her body, trying to find a comfortable position. 

Newt turned back toward the fire. He knew that sleep would probably elude him tonight, but he decided to try. After adding logs to the hearth and being assured that the fire would keep them warm through the night, he lowered his braces and untucked his shirt from the waistband of his trousers. He sat on the dark brown, fur rug and leaned over to grab his mostly-dry suit jacket, balling it up to use as a pillow. He laid his body back and placed his arm around the fabric, turning his body away from the brightness of the fire. 

From this position, he could see Tina, who had turned her back away from him. He closed his eyes and willed his body to sleep. It was late, they had walked miles today through the wind, rain, and snow, and he was physically exhausted. After weeks of ministry-delegated missions and small side-missions from Dumbledore, Newt had few moments for rest. His time was split between various trips throughout England and Wales, gathering information for the resistance, and work with his creatures. He was thankful for Bunty and Jacob who had picked up the work he could not complete and thankful for Tina who continuously kept him focused and driven. 

He could not lie to himself, he knew that things had started shifting between Tina and himself. It had been three months since Paris, three months since he had shown her that he carried her picture--that he cared for her. While he suspected that she cared for him as well, the events following his confession in the records room in the French Ministry of Magic put a halt on any progress they would have made under normal circumstances. 

They each mourned a loss, Leta’s death and Queenie’s defection, and the resulting list of life-changing events kept them from discussing what could be possible together. Tina had to return to New York for three weeks to pack her apartment and put in her transfer paperwork to MACUSA. Newt helped his brother prepare for a funeral instead of the wedding he had been planning. His publisher gave him a go-ahead for the second edition of his book with a deadline of the first day of February. Life had been complicated. While he and Tina had spent a great deal of time together and their friendship had grown, they had little time to themselves outside of work assignments and group gatherings. 

He was not blind to the fact that they were very much alone here, that they could potentially spend days snowed in together. The thought both thrilled and terrified him as he pondered the possibility. He wanted to confess his feelings, to be brave and lay everything out at her feet, but the fear of rejection, of losing her friendship, terrified him to the core. She would be kind to him, she would never laugh at him or humiliate him, he knew that. To know that they would never again share the same kind of camaraderie that they had developed over the past year, it would break him. 

Unless, and Newt beamed to himself at the thought, she shared his feelings. They could have something beautiful together. _I could easily love her_ , he thought, _I might already_. He had never truly been in love, not real love, anyway. Not like this. He shifted to his stomach and curled his arms around his jacket as he imagined the life they could lead together. A life he never thought he would be allowed to have until she came along. Now it could be possible, he just had to take the chance and _tell_ her. He had to take the risk and hope it would be worth it, and perhaps this was where it was meant to happen. He would probably never get a chance like this again and he would be a fool if he did not at least try.

As Newt’s mind flitted back and forth between the possibility of something more with Tina and the rejection of the woman he adored, the woman in question was shivering in the bed across the room. 

Tina Goldstein was tough. She had crouched in disgusting alleyways for hours for recon, had traipsed through swamps, been hit by curses, been knocked to the ground, and had even been thrown against a brick wall by an overzealous escaping criminal in her time as an Auror. She had fought for her sister as a child, standing up against the adults who pretended to care about her. She had worked hard and pinched and saved so Queenie could continue her education and go on to find a quiet desk job that didn’t overwhelm her legilimency. Through all of the trials in her life, Tina knew that she could handle just about anything thrown her way. However, it had been well over an hour since she had entered the cabin with Newt and she was still shivering. Her fingers ached and her feet were like ice. Her arms were covered in goosebumps and she was extremely uncomfortable. She may be a strong, fierce Auror, but she was _freezing_.

The bed was across the room from the fireplace, and while the whole room was heating, she was not benefitting much. The window next to the bed was drafty, the musty sheets felt cold and damp against her, and she was miserable. She wanted to move closer to the fire, but she could see Newt laying across the rug on his stomach. His eyes were closed and he was breathing softly, his face turned toward her. He looked peaceful and relaxed, more so than she had seen him in months. He even had a small smile gracing his lips. He looked younger this way, with no worry in his expression and his ruddy hair draped across his forehead boyishly. As much as Tina wanted to be closer to the heat, she couldn’t encroach on his space like that. Not without invitation. 

_She wanted to, though._

There was something between them, it had been there for months. She had discovered in the week after the events in New York that he was far more complex and wholly _good_ than she thought possible. He was extremely easy to talk to, once he could calm down and relax, and conversation flowed between them. She had found a kindred spirit for the first time in her life, someone who understood her quirks and ambitions, who did not think it strange that she was focused on a career. She had suspected at the time that they each had been hurt by others in the past, and as the letters became more friendly over the months she discovered that she had been correct. 

This pull toward each other had been increasing for over a year, and the past three months since Paris had confirmed to her that Newt Scamander was a man unlike any other. She was deeply attracted to him and, the longer they spent in each other’s company, the more she wanted to tell him how she felt. They had become increasingly comfortable around each other over the past few weeks, a new experience for both of them. She knew that he carried her picture in his case and that he cared for her. Newt was very similar to the creatures he loved so much, however, and she was afraid that moving too quickly or advancing without warning would scare him away. She was terrified to take that chance, she couldn’t imagine the pain that losing him would cause. 

She had decided to be patient months ago, but it was now getting to the point when she was ready to take the leap. Could this be the right time? They were stuck in this cabin together for Mercy knows how long, alone, and once they made it to Cardiff and entered society again, they may not get another chance like this. She looked over at his relaxed form, taking in his long eyelashes, full lips, and the way the firelight reflected off his coppery hair. Mercy, how she would like to wake up to that sight every day. The thought was one that simultaneously tied her stomach in knots and made her want to cry tears of joy.

Tina was terrified. Tina was also ridiculously cold.

She sighed as she gathered the blanket around her shoulders and tried to quietly slip out of bed, but the warped wood of the bed frame groaned as she shifted her body across the mattress. Her stockinged feet touched the floor. She tried to silently make her way across the room, allowing a wide berth around Newt as she made her way toward the corner of the fireplace near his feet.

“Tina?”

She stopped in her tracks, turning her head to look guiltily at Newt who was watching her with wide, curious eyes.

“Are you alright?”

“I--yes. I’m--I’m very cold.”

Newt sat up on the rug, the hair on one side of his face was flattened against his head and his light eyes reflected the light of the fire. 

“Cold?”

“Yes, I--I never warmed up after being outside earlier. I’m shivering and I can’t seem to get comfortable. I was just going to sit here for a while and try to warm up a bit.” She raised her eyes and color spread across her cheeks when she saw the intensity of his gaze, “I’m sorry for waking you.”

Newt shifted his body to face the fire, inviting her to come to sit near him with a gesture of his hand as he responded, ‘You didn’t.” Tina sat down next to him, the tattered blanket still wrapped around her shoulders. She left a few inches between them, but Tina was painfully aware of their closeness. “I don’t think I will be able to sleep on this floor. I’ve slept in some strange places, but I don’t think this will be one of them,” he stated, jolting her from her thoughts.

“Oh,” she replied, simply. He looked at her and she gave him a close-lipped smile before looking back at the fire.

“I-- um,” Newt’s voice caught and he cleared his throat before continuing, “I might have a solution to both our problems.” He seemed unsure and his voice addressed her quietly.

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“I, er,...nevermind. It’s...well...” Newt looked down at his stocking feet, color blooming on his cheeks.

“Newt, what is it?” Tina asked, turning her body to face him.

“It’s not...” Newt turned to look at her, something giving way in his mind, “please don’t think me any less of a gentleman for suggesting this, it’s just a matter of science, you see…”

Something clicked in Tina’s mind, something pulled from the far corner of her mind. Auror wilderness survival. Her training from years before had given her the answer.

“We should share it.” Tina looked up at Newt who looked as if he wanted the floor to swallow him. “Hey,” she said, causing his eyes to meet hers, “It’s fine, Newt. You’re right. It would solve both of our problems.”

“It’s not...I mean, I am fine here. Why don’t we just pull the bed up close to the fire for you--”

“And you won’t sleep?” Tina interrupted him.

“I might, eventually,” Newt replied. “Tina, I can’t encroach on your personal space like that, I respect you too much to--”

“I’m inviting you to.”

Tina felt herself shaking, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or from her nerves. She took a deep breath and forced herself to look at him. He was looking at her shoulder and seemed to be almost afraid of the situation.

“Newt,” Tina said in the evenest voice she could produce at the moment, “we have several more miles to walk tomorrow, this time in the snow. We both need rest.” He nodded shallowly, his eyes still not connecting with hers. “If I’m not mistaken, the best way to stay warm or warm-up someone during dangerous cold is to share body heat with another person, right?” Newt nodded again. “So...I’d like you to be that person.”

Newt’s eyes snapped up to hers.

“Listen, we can share the bed. We’ll move it closer to the fire, we’ll both be warm, we can both rest before tomorrow...it just makes sense.”

“I, um--” Newt sighed, something in him seemed to release and he trudged forward. “May I be completely candid, Tina?”

Surprised, Tina nodded and watched him until he was ready to say what he was trying to say. He began to speak, struggling, his eyes on the fire before them.

“I was raised to...behave...in a certain way. I know you call it my British sensibilities, but it really does mean a lot to me to do things correctly. I-- I _care_ for you, Tina.” Newt’s eyes swung to meet hers, the intensity found in his gaze made her breath catch in her chest. “I care very much...and I don’t think I’m alone in feeling like-- like there is something happening between us.”

Tina’s fists tightened and she felt her heart rate increase. _This was actually happening._ She shifted her body around to face him, closing some of the distance between them. “No, you’re not alone,” she said softly, “I feel it too.”

A look passed over Newt’s face, though Tina couldn’t quite place it. Surprise? Relief? Excitement? Fear?

“I just don’t want you to think that I would take advantage of our situation here or….” Newt trailed off, recollecting his thoughts. “I want to do this right, Tina.”

This man. This wonderful, beautiful, kind man. Tina’s heart swelled with affection as he struggled to say the words she had been waiting to hear for months.

“I want to do this right because...well, because we could have something truly wonderful. I don’t want to mess that up. I _can’t_ mess that up.”

“Newt…” Tina’s eyes began to fill with tears as she watched him struggle through the admission. Feeling bold, she reached out and ran her fingers gently through the soft curls just above his temple. His eyes widened as he watched her. “I’ve been wanting to hear you say these things for a long time.” She smiled at him tentatively and he responded with a wide grin. He closed his eyes and slowly shook his head back and forth, the smile remaining on his face. “I feel the same way. I want--” Tina paused, looking down to place her hand over his where it rested on the rug, “I want this. _Us._ If that’s what you want, I mean.”

Newt’s hand slowly turned under hers, their palms meeting and fingers intertwining. “That’s what I want, Tina.” Newt pulled their locked hands into his lap as he shifted to his knees. He lifted his free hand to cradle her jaw, his thumb slowly swiping along her cheekbone. He was nervous, she could feel his hand shaking slightly. Tina also pushed herself to her knees, the tattered blanket falling forgotten to the floor at her back. They were inches apart now, their breath intermingling between them as their eyes met. Tina found herself placing her free hand on his shoulder, slowly moving closer like a moth to the flame. 

As Newt and Tina moved closer, he found himself watching her lips as his hand shifted to rest on the back of her neck. “May I?” He whispered the question as his eyes closed of their own volition. His breath brushed across Tina’s lips as she found herself meeting him halfway.

“ _Yes_.” She whispered the words against his lips before they closed the gap and met in a soft, lingering kiss. Newt kept his hand on the side of Tina’s neck as he tilted his own head to the side slightly, allowing their connection to deepen. Tina wrapped her arm around to his back for several seconds before she slid it up to run her fingers through the soft coppery curls that had fascinated her for months. 

Lips moved against lips and hands began to touch, brush, discover… Newt and Tina both felt themselves melt into the kiss as it ebbed and flowed from passionate and heated to lazy and lingering. Each time they would break apart, they found themselves smiling, laughing breathily as they found release in each others’ arms after months of anticipation. 

Eventually, Newt pulled away slowly to catch his breath. Every sense was heightened as he smelled the honeysuckle notes of her perfume, tasted the sweetness of her mouth on his tongue, and felt the silkiness of her hair under the fingers of one hand and the silkiness of her blouse at her waist under the other. His head was swimming and he had to force himself to open his eyes. Deep brown eyes met his, so close and so lovely. He smiled widely, wondering if he would ever tire of this feeling of feeling her so close.

Tina then tried and failed to stifle a yawn. The pair looked at each other and laughed, their hands still rested on waists and shoulders as they finally felt the tension between them begin to release.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this so soon after our first kiss,” Tina said with a smile, “but, will you come to bed with me?”

“Oh, Merlin’s beard…” Newt responded with a laugh as he blushed slightly, shaking his head.

Tina stood, leaned down to pick up the blanket, and then extended her hand to him. “Come with me?” she asked him, sounding far more calm and relaxed than she did inside. After a few seconds of contemplation, Newt placed his hand in hers.

“Okay.”

Tina levitated the uncomfortable living area furniture to the side while Newt levitated the bed closer to the fire and away from the drafty window. Tina slid onto the mattress and spread the blanket back over the top of the bed. Newt slid in next to her nervously, not sure what her expectations were. She laid down facing him, both of them tucked under the blanket now.

“Are you still cold?” he asked Tina as she watched him.

“A little,” she replied. “I warmed up a little bit over by the fire.” Tina grinned at Newt as he caught her meaning and smiled back.

“Come here?” he asked, extending an arm out to her. Tina let out a breath and slid closer, laying flush against the side of his body and tucking her head onto his shoulder. One arm draped over his chest and he felt her shift until she found a comfortable position. Once she had settled, he wrapped the arm she was laying on around her shoulders and began to play with the hair at the base of her neck.

“Is this okay?” Tina asked him quietly.

“It’s fantastic,” he said with a smile as he continued to run the silky, dark strands of hair between his fingers.

“Good,” Tina replied with a large smile as she ran her thumb along his upper arm soothingly.

“You should get some sleep, Tina.” Newt looked down at the top of her head where she rested on his shoulder, “We have another big day tomorrow.”

“Mmm, you too,” she replied sleepily as she shifted her head to place a light kiss on the fabric of his shirt covering his shoulder.

“I’ll try,” he said with an affectionate grin as he continued to play with her hair. After a few minutes had passed, Newt felt her breathing even out and her muscles begin to relax. He knew she had finally fallen asleep. He laid and watched her as she slept, her lips were parted slightly and her hand was fanned over his upper chest. She was lovely. Newt tried to commit the image to memory. He wanted to remember every part of this moment from the scent of her soap to the way the curves of her body felt against his own. He especially wanted to remember the way the firelight made her hair shine and her skin glow, making her look warm and ethereal. 

Newt continued watching her for several minutes until sleep claimed him, a smile still gracing his lips.

*****

Tina felt rays of sun on her eyelids. She felt warm and comfortable under her blankets though there was a touch of chill in the air. Her nose was cold. She shifted to burrow her face into the warm pillow, but it was then that she realized she was not laying on her pillow. She awoke quickly, small stretches revealing that she was lying draped over something. _Someone?_ Her eyes opened.

There he was. The memories of the night before flooded her memories and she felt giddy happiness. Her legs had intertwined with Newt’s and he held her tightly in his sleep, one hand around her shoulders and the other on the bare skin of her lower back where her shirt had risen up as she slept. His eyes were closed and the muscles of his face had relaxed as he slept. His hair was tousled more than normal and he was breathing deeply through slightly parted lips.

Lips she had kissed.

Tina relaxed into his embrace, memorizing every part of the moment so she could recall it later. As she laid and let her mind wander, she began to absentmindedly draw patterns along his ribcage with her fingertips. He eventually squirmed slightly under her ministrations.

“ _S’ticklish…_ ” he said sleepily as he rotated his body slightly to escape the light touch.

Tina giggled and Newt froze as the memories of the night before rushed back to him. He opened his eyes to find her watching him. He blinked sleepily before tightening his grip on her back.

“Mmm, I could get used to waking up like this,” he said, his voice tight and higher-pitched after hours of disuse.

Tina smiled widely. “Me too,” she replied as she brought her hand to his cheek, feeling the light dusting of stubble that had grown in since they had begun their journey the day before. She leaned up to look at his face more clearly. “That was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time.” Tina ran her fingers to his brow where she brushed back his too-long fringe so she could clearly see his blue-green eyes. “A girl could get used to this, you know.”

Newt smiled at her as he lightly ran the fingers of one hand down her upper arm. “I can see now why it’s so appealing,” he replied.

“Do we have to get up?” Tina asked, her feelings of responsibility and newfound feelings of adoration clashing in her mind.

“Hold on, stay here.” Newt kissed her on the forehead before swinging his feet over the side of the bed and walking over to the kitchen window. He glanced out and one eyebrow raised as he looked back at her. “It’s still snowing pretty heavily out there,” he said, “I don’t think we will be going anywhere for a while.” Tina felt a wave of relief wash over her. Newt grinned at her, his wrinkled shirt and messy hair making him look relaxed and playful. He strode over to where the fire had died down as they slept. He placed three more logs on the embers and a burst of air from his wand coaxed the glowing remnants of last night’s fire back into a crackling blaze.

As he tucked his wand back into its holster, he padded back to the side of the bed in his stocking feet, pausing before lowering himself back into the shared warmth of the blankets, looking for permission. Tina smiled and lifted his side of the blanket up, beckoning him back onto the mattress. The cool air that rushed in under the blanket was soon replaced by his warmth as he slid back into her waiting arms.

Once Newt had settled next to her, Tina leaned up so her face was leaning over his, her hair cascading around them like a waterfall. “You okay with spending the day laying around in bed with me instead of wandering through the snow?” she asked him as his hands found her waist, his fingers curling into the soft fabric of her shirt.

“Mmm, Merry Christmas to me,” he said cheekily. Tina laughed, her eyes crinkling up with amusement as her forehead rested on his. He grinned at her before tugging gently at her waist in clear invitation. Tina lowered her lips to his, drinking him in, feeling him, exploring him.

The snow continued to whirl outside, but Newt and Tina remained oblivious.

**Author's Note:**

> Go find me over on Tumblr! [@themysteriousphoenix ](https://themysteriousphoenix.tumblr.com/)


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